AY 2024
(October Admission)
Application Guidelines
for the Doctoral Program
General Entrance Examination
Admission Examination for Adults
Admission Examination for International
Students

International Media-Communication/Tourism Creation Major
Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies (IMCTS)
Hokkaido University

● Objectives
Our doctoral program aims to make our students acquire the following abilities:
・

Ability to consider and investigate effective ways of public relations,organization construction, and linguistic communication in this highly
information-oriented society

・

Ability to construct methods of contributing to creation of local communities
in the context of active mobility of humans and cultures

・Ability to discover and manage the values of local resources, and create
ways to make them public and realized in a global scale● Admissions Policy
This doctoral program is open to students who are enthusiastic aboutdeveloping their knowledge and intellect regarding media-communication andtourism for the purpose of helping to solve challenges of contemporary society
in which the advancement of information technologies is in progress andintercultural interactions have become everyday events with the increasing
movements of people. Diverse students, including adults and international
students, are actively accepted. This doctoral program is specifically open to thefollowing students.
・Students who have the focused intention of autonomously conducting
research on the basis of advanced technical knowledge about tourism andmedia-communication. Thus, the students must be able to accurately
analyze actual issues that beset the contemporary world toward developing
cutting-edge models that will help to solve these issues.

・Students who are eager to engage in the development of networks andorganizations that are useful for encouraging diverse actors from theacademic, business, governmental, and private sectors to collaborate witheach other. Thus, the students must be able to creatively conceptualizesystems for facilitating external and internal communication and exchanges
for the purpose of helping local people to live with pride in, and attachment
to, their communities.
Students, with the above intentions, are expected to have acquired theknowledge/skills, thinking/judging/expressing abilities, and the attitude to learn
in collaboration with various people to conduct research activities, through daily
studies, work and social life.
[Basic policy for student selection]<Doctoral Program>Oral examinations based on submitted research plans and master's thesis
comprehensively evaluate communication skills, knowledge, thinking skills,
expressive skills, and attitudes towards cooperating with diverse people, which
are necessary to examine highly specialized research topics and to present
results of studies.

Table of Contents
I.

Examinations for General Admission, Admission for Adults,
and Admission for International Students･･････････････････1

II.

Admission Fee and Tuition･･････････････････････････････9

III.

Important Reminder････････････････････････････････････9IV.

Other･････････････････････････････････････････････････9V.

Scholarship Program of the Graduate School of International
Media-Communication and Tourism Studies･･･････････････9VI.

Eligibility and Application Procedures for Long-term Course
Enrollment･････････････････････････････････････････････9VII.

Privacy Policy･････････････････････････････････････････11

VIII. List of Supervisors･････････････････････････････････････13
IX.

Supervisors to be Appointed････････････････････････････17

I. Examinations for General Admission, Admission for Adults, andAdmission for International Students

1. Number of Students to be Admitted
Major

Number of Students to be Admitted

International Media-Communication/Tourism
Creation Major

12

Note: The number includes adult and international students.
2. Eligibility for Application
General admission
Admission for adults

Admission forinternational students

The applicant satisfies any of the eligibility requirements (1) ~ (8) below.
The applicant satisfies any of the eligibility requirements (1) ~ (8) below,
plus either (a) or (b) described below.
(a) The applicant is currently serving in public office or is working for acompany, an association or a school and aims to complete thedoctoral program during his/her tenure of office.
(b) The applicant has at least 2 years of work experience or will haveearned a degree at least 3 years before the time of enrollment.
The applicant does not possess Japanese citizenship but does satisfy
any of the eligibility requirements (1) ~ (8) below.

(1) The applicant has completed, or is expected to have completed by September 30, 2024, a
Master’s or Professional degree.
(2) The applicant has completed, or is expected to have completed by September 30, 2024, adegree equivalent to a Master’s or a Professional degree at a university in a country other thanJapan.
(3) The applicant has completed, or is expected to have completed by September 30, 2024 a degree
equivalent to a Master’s or a Professional degree after finishing a correspondence programprovided by a school in a country other than Japan while residing in Japan.
(4) The applicant has completed, or is expected to have completed, a graduate program of an
educational institution in Japan that has been certified by the Minister of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology and which provides courses for a foreign graduate school
within the school education system of that foreign country, and the applicant consequently has
been or is expected to be conferred with a degree equivalent to a Master’s or a Professional
degree by September 30, 2024.
(5) The applicant has completed or is expected to have completed a program at the United Nations
University that was established in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly
resolution of December 11, 1972, as set forth in Paragraph 2, Article 1 of the “Act on Special
Measures Incidental to Enforcement of the Agreement between the United Nations and Japan
Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations University” (Act No. 72 of 1976), and theapplicant has been conferred or is expected to be conferred with a degree equivalent to that of a
Master’s degree by September 30, 2024.
(6) The applicant has followed a curriculum at a school abroad, an educational institution specified
in eligibility item (4) above, or the United Nations University, has passed examinations andscreening equivalent to those specified in Article 16 of the Standards for Establishment ofGraduate Schools, and has been recognized as having academic ability at least equivalent tothose who have a Master's degree, or the applicant is expected to be recognized as such by
September 30, 2024.
(7) The applicant falls under either of the categories 1) and 2) below that were specified by the-1-Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in ministerial notification
No.55 of 2001. (*1), *2))
*1) The applicant has graduated from a university, has engaged in research at auniversity, a research institute or other institution for at least 2 years, and has
been recognized by the Graduate School of IMCTS as having academic ability
at least equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree in light of the resultsof said research.
*2) The applicant has completed at least 16 years of school education overseas or
has completed at least 16 years of a correspondence program provided by aschool in a country other than Japan while residing in Japan, has engaged inresearch at a university, a research institute or other institution for at least 2
years, and has been recognized by the Graduate School of IMCTS as having
academic ability at least equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree inlight of the results of said research.
(8) The applicant has been recognized by the Graduate School of IMCTS as having academic
ability at least equivalent to those who have a Master’s or Professional degree on the basis of
an individual admission qualification screening, and the applicant will have reached the age oftwenty-four (24) by September 30, 2024.
・Special Educational Methods Pursuant to Article 14 of the Standards for the
Establishment of Graduate Schools
The Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies has a systemthat provides “Special Educational Methods Pursuant to Article 14 of the Standards for the
Establishment of Graduate Schools” to students who have a job or who need a special educational
method. By taking advantage of this system, students can learn flexibly with the approval of andunder the supervision of a doctoral supervisor on the basis of the curriculum specified in the rules
and regulations of the Graduate School of IMCTS.
Cf. The Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools (Education Ministry Ordinance No. 28
of 1974)
Article 14 (Excerpt)
When a special need is acknowledged from an educational viewpoint in a graduate program,education may be provided by appropriate means, for example by giving classes and researchguidance during evening hours, at other specific hours, or at a certain time of year.
3. Need for Preliminary Review of Applicant Eligibility
Applicants who fall under categories (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) in “2. Eligibility for Application”
above are subject to a preliminary review of their eligibility prior to a period during whichapplication forms are accepted.
The applicants are required to contact the Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office,
IMCTS at nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp by June 1,2023, to obtain information on how to register fora preliminary review.
*The registration website (English version) does not support the preliminary review.
<Document submission period - preliminary review>
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 from 10:00 through Monday, June 10, 2024 at 17:00/5
p.m.
(Application documents, etc., sent either by post or submitted in person, must arrive no later than
17:00/5 p.m. on Monday, June 10, 2024.)-2-

Applicants who are subject to a preliminary review shall not make payment of theexamination fee until they are notified of the preliminary review results. A notice ofpreliminary review results will be sent by email to each applicant concerned. Applicants that
qualify for the entrance examination shall apply for the Graduate School of IMCTS, following the
instructions in “4. Application Procedure, etc.” Applications will not be accepted from applicants
who fail to make payment of the examination fee within the specified period of time.
4. Application Procedure, etc.
Applicants who apply for the Graduate School of IMCTS must follow all the steps ① through③ within the specified period. Applications will be rejected if the applicants fail to complete allof the steps within the specified period of time.
①Registration for online application
URL: https://e-apply.jp/n/hokudai-imc-eng②Payment of examination fee
After the applicants register for the online application for the Graduate School of IMCTS, they
are required to pay an examination fee (30,000 yen) and a transaction fee (500 yen). Postal andbank payments are not permitted. Applicants are required to pay the fees using one of theapproved methods listed below. Reconfirm the payment details on the online application site.
•credit card
•internet banking•convenience stores•bank ATMs with Pay-easy transaction services•UnionPay Online Payment* Applicants who are expected to complete a Master’s or Professional Degree Program at theGraduate School of IMCTS (or at another Graduate School of Hokkaido University) and
Government(or University)-sponsored international students are exempt from the examination
fee. After registering for the online application on the website, those students should skip thesecond step (② Payment of examination fee and complete the online registration procedure.
The applicant is expected to notify the Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office,
IMCTS, by email at nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp upon completion of the online application
registration. The email must include the applicant’s name, academic affiliation, and student ID
number.
[Refund of examination fees]
Examination fees will only be refunded as set forth in the following cases: ① An applicant
paid the examination fee, but the applicant did not apply for the Graduate School of IMCTS.
This usually means the applicant did not submit the application documents or the application
was rejected. ② The applicant mistakenly paid the examination fee more than once.
* Even if the examination fees are paid, applications will not be accepted from applicants who
fail to submit the application documents within the specified period of time.
Address inquiries regarding the refund of examination fees to:
Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office, International Media-Communication and-3-

Tourism Studies (IMCTS), Hokkaido University
email: nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp③Submission of application documents
After the applicants pay the examination fees, they are required to download .PDF files of theapplication form, resume, and address label. Complete these files, combine them with “8.
Application Documents, etc.” into one .PDF file, and email it to the Academic Affairs Division,
Administration Office, IMCTS, at the following address: nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp within the
period specified in “(1) Period for online registration …”.
* Applicants will not be permitted to download application forms or other documents until they
pay the examination fees.
* Applications will be rejected if the applicants fail to email the application documents .PDF
file within the specified period of time.
After these documents have been emailed, print them in color. Submit them with “8. Application
Documents, etc.” within the period specified in “(2) Period for accepting application forms” to“(3) Where to submit application documents” either by post or in person.
(1) Period for online registration, PDF file submission by email, and examination fee
payment.
Friday, June 14, 2024 from 10:00 to Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 17:00/5 p.m.
(2) Period for accepting application forms
From Monday, June 17, 2024 through Thursday, June 27, 2024
*Applicants who submit the forms in person must arrive at the counter of the Academic Affairs
Division, Administration Office, IMCTS, before 17:00/5 p. m. Delivery by post must be
received at the office no later than Thursday, June 27, 2024.
* Applications are accepted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except Saturdays and Sundays.
(3) Where to submit application documents
Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office, International Media-Communication andTourism Studies (IMCTS), Hokkaido University
Kita 17-Jo Nishi 8-chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0817 Japan
Note: When sending application documents by post, be sure to write “Application for admission to
the doctoral program” in red on the front of the envelope. Send these documents by registered mailor other types of mail that use a tracking system.
5. Selection Process and Examination Schedule
General entrance examination, admission examination for adults, and admission
examination for international students
Applicants will be selected on the basis of the following: submitted documents, including theiracademic transcript; Master’s thesis or equivalent research achievements (or performance report inthe case of applicants for admission for adults (submission can be on a voluntary basis)); researchplan; and oral examination.
Examination date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Examination site: Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism-4-

Studies, Hokkaido University
Kita 17-Jo Nishi 8 -chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0817 Japan
Examination content: The oral examination will be based on the Master’s thesis (or equivalentresearch achievement) and the research plan of the applicant.
The oral examination will be given in Japanese, in principle. Whendeemed necessary for the applicant’s research, the applicant’s competencein another language(s) might be tested.
In the admission examination for adults, the applicant’s professional
expertise related to the applicant’s career might be tested.
6. Announcement of Successful Applicants
For every successful applicant, the examinee’s number will be posted on the bulletin board on thefirst floor of the Graduate School of IMCTS and on its website on the date shown below. Allapplicants will be informed of their examination results in writing. (Telephone and e-mail inquiries
will not be accepted.)
Date for the announcement of successful applicants:
approx. 16:00 (tentatively scheduled), Friday, August 30, 2024
7. Admission Procedures
Documents necessary for admission procedures will be sent by registered mail to successful
applicants at the time of the announcement of successful applicants. The period for admission
procedures is currently scheduled to Mid- September, 2024.
8. Application Documents, etc.
The application documents necessary are listed in the chart below.
All application documents shall be written in Japanese or English.
Note: Use of ink that disappears after being rubbed by a rubber eraser (such as theink of FriXion erasable pens) is not allowed. Be sure to use a permanent ballpoint pen
to fill out the forms.
When the original certificates are written in a language other than Japanese or English, then aJapanese or English translation of these certificates shall be certified by a public agency of theapplicant’s home country and shall be attached to the certificates concerned.
Note: A “public agency” means an embassy or other government agency, or a university or othereducational institution.
Application Documents, etc.
1. Application form, resume,
examination admission card
2. A photo for the application
form (1MB≦file size≦3MB)
3. Certificate of (expected)
completion

Additional Information
Download the PDF file of the application form from theonline application website, print it in color on A4-size
paper and submit it as instructed.
Use a frontal, upper-body, hatless photo taken within threemonths of the application submission. Upload the photo
file to the online application website. (No need to mail)Submit a certificate of completion or expected completion
issued by the president or a dean of the university at which
the applicant has completed or will complete a graduate-5-

program. Submission of a certificate of (expected)
completion is not required of applicants who havecompleted or are expected to complete a graduate programattheGraduate
SchoolofInternational
Media-Communication and Tourism Studies or the
Graduate School of International Media andCommunication of Hokkaido University.
◎Applicants from China (except Taiwan, Hong Kong, andMacao) must submit the following document(s) as well.
・those who have completed a graduate program:a. electronic academic certificate (教育部学历证书电
子注册备案表)b. master’s degree certificate【original copy】＊If not available, submit the original copy of学位证书

・those who will complete a graduate program:a. online certificate of the studentship (教育部学籍在线验证报告)
Among above, you can obtain document (a) through the
Chinese Education Certificate System (中国高等教 育 学 历 证 书 查 询 https://www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgys.jsp).

4. Academic transcript

5. A copy of the Master’s thesis
or a document equivalent to
the Master’s thesis

6. Abstract of the Master’s thesis(or an alternative to the
Master’s thesis)
7. Research plan

Note also that the Web certificates you obtained must be
valid more than 30 days after the date of your application.
Submit a certificate of achievement issued by the president
or a dean of the university at which the applicant hascompleted or will complete a graduate program.
Submission of a certificate of (expected) completion is not
required of applicants who have completed or are expected
to complete a graduate program at the Graduate School ofInternational Media-Communication and Tourism Studies
or the Graduate School of International Media andCommunication of Hokkaido University.
Each applicant is allowed to submit up to two publishedresearch articles in addition to the Master's thesis (or analternative to the Master’s thesis). One copy of each shallbe submitted. Make copies (both sides) on A4-size or
letter-size paper. Clip the sheets of paper together.
Applicants who have more than two research articles shallattach a list of these articles.
Condense the Master’s thesis (or an alternative to the
Master’s thesis) in Japanese or English on about two pagesof A4-size or letter-size paper. Note: The abstract shall be
printed single-sided.
Use the applicant’s research topic as the title. Summarize thebackground, aim, content, features and expected outcome of
the research, relationships with previous research activities,
preparations for the research, etc. in Japanese (5,000-8000
characters) or in English (2,200-3,500 words), which shouldbe accompanied by references. The entire research plan must
not exceed 5 pages of A4-size or 8.5 x 11 letter-size paper.
References should not be included in the character or theword count, but should be included in the page count. The
applicant must indicate the character or word count in the
research plan, excluding the title and references, just before-6-the references. Failure to comply with the character/word or
page limit or to specify character/word count of the researchplan may disqualify the applicant.
Note 1: The converted PDF file must retain text data.
Note 2: The research plan must be printed single-sided(two-sided and two-column formatting are not allowed) andheld with a paper clip. Do not staple.
Note 3: The applicant is required to seek advice from thefuture supervisor before submitting the research plan.Note 4:
The use of ChatGPT or other generative AI is not allowed.
Any improper use will result in disqualification.
8. Address label
Download the .PDF file of the address label from theonline application website, print it in color on A4-size
paper and submit it as instructed.
9. Performance report
Applicants who have a job or work experience can submit
Note:
a performance report in any format that shows the
Applicable only to those whoachievements or other results of their work or otherwill take an admission
activities.
examination for adults;
Performance reports shall be condensed into up to two
Submission on a voluntary basis
pages in Japanese on A4-size or letter-size paper. Note:
The report shall be printed single-sided, and held with apaper clip.
10. Document for proving
Submit a copy of the applicant's passport or the residence
foreign citizenshipcard. In the case that the applicant is staying in Japan, aNote:copy of the page showing the status and duration of the
Applicable only to those who
applicant’s residence is also necessary.
will take an admission
examination for international
students
11. Copy of the
Applicants who have taken the Japanese-Language
Japanese-Language
Proficiency Test jointly organized by the Japan Foundation
and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services may
Proficiency Test score sheetNote:choose to submit their test scores.
Applicable only to those whowill take an admission
examination for international
students;
Submission on a voluntary basis
Notes
1. Be sure to ask for advice from the applicant’s future supervisor before creating a
research plan.
2. Write the name of the applicant’s future supervisor in the specified space on theapplication form after gaining the consent of the supervisor.
3. Refer to “VII. List of Supervisors” and the following website for the names of faculty
members and their research.
https://www.imc.hokudai.ac.jp/imcts/teacher/
4. Applicants who need advice about choosing a supervisor should e-mail the Academic
Affairs Division, Administration Office of IMCTS for inquiries by 17:00, Monday, June
10, 2024. (Title the e-mail “About my future supervisor.”)E-mail address of Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office of IMCTS:
nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp-7-

9. Documents for Submission by Applicants Who Need Preliminary Review ofApplicant Eligibility
Applicants who fall under categories (3), (4), (6), (7), or (8) in “2. Eligibility for Application”
above shall submit the documents described below in addition to the documents specified in “8.
Application Documents, etc.” Submit all of the following documents within the application period
as instructed in “3. Need for Preliminary Review of Applicant Eligibility.”
Applicant Eligibility
Documents for Submission○ Application form for preliminary review of applicant eligibility (abound-in form)○ Certificate of degree conferral(3)○ Letter of recommendation by the applicant’s supervisor at the mostrecent school in the applicant’s educational background (in any
format)○ Application form for preliminary review of applicant eligibility (abound-in form)○ Certificate of degree conferral(4)○ Letter of recommendation by the applicant’s supervisor at the mostrecent school in the applicant’s educational background (in any
format)○ Application form for preliminary review of applicant eligibility (abound-in form)(6)○ Letter of recommendation by the applicant’s supervisor at the mostrecent school in the applicant’s educational background (in any
format)○ Application form for preliminary review of applicant eligibility (abound-in form)○ List of research results, and copies of major research papers (in any
format)○ Certificate certifying the research history of the applicant in terms of(7)
research subjects and of research institutes that was issued by theapplicant’s direct supervisor at the research institute to which theapplicant belongs or belonged (in any format)○ Certificate of graduation○ Application form for preliminary review of applicant eligibility (abound-in form)○ List of research results, and copies of major research papers (in any
format)○ Certificate certifying the research history of the applicant in terms ofresearch subjects and of research institutes that was issued by the(8)applicant’s direct supervisor at the research institute to which theapplicant belongs or belonged (in any format)○ Certificate of graduation from the most recent school in theapplicant’s educational background○ Academic transcript issued by the most recent school in theapplicant’s educational background-8-II. Admission Fee and Tuition(1) Admission fee: 282,000 yen(2) Tuition: 535,800 yen (estimated amount): Half of this amount shall be paid in the first semester
and the balance in the second semester
Notes: 1) When the tuition and fees are revised at or after the student’s admission to the
Graduate School of IMCTS, revised tuition and fees shall be applied from thenon.
2) Failure to pay the admission fee within the designated period of admission
procedures shall be deemed as admission cancellation.
3) The tuition shall be paid in each semester.

III. Important Reminder(1) The examination admission card will be sent by email on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The applicant
must print this card and bring it on the day of the examination.
(2) When it is found that the submitted documents contain false statements, the admission may becancelled.
(3) Those applicants who are planning to apply for long-term course enrollment are advised to send
their inquiries to Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office, IMCTS, at
nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp.

IV. Other

Applicants who need special consideration due to an illness, injury, or disability in taking theentrance examination and the doctoral course shall inform the Graduate School of IMCTS of thatneed before applying for admission so that the Graduate School will be able to consider necessary
support. (Contact: Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office, IMCTS (E-mail:nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp))<Inquiries about application for admission and entrance examination>
Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office, International Media-Communication andTourism Studies (IMCTS), Hokkaido University
Kita 17-Jo Nishi 8-chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0817 Japan
E-mail: nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp
Note: Inquiries shall be made by the applicant him/herself, except in the event of uncontrollable
circumstances.

V. Scholarship Program of the Graduate School of International
Media-Communication and Tourism Studies

The Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies has ascholarship program for applicants who have been accepted to the doctoral program. Applicants
who have achieved outstanding results in the entrance examination and have made a commitment
to enroll will receive a lump-sum payment equivalent to the admission fee (approx. 282,000 yen) or
the half of the admission fee (approx. 141,000 yen) after enrollment.
Scholarship candidates will be informed of their eligibility for the scholarship when they receive
an acceptance letter.

VI. Eligibility and Application Procedures for Long-term Course
Enrollment

1. Aim of the long-term course enrollment system-9-Under the long-term course enrollment system, the Graduate School of IMCTS allows students
who have applied for the use of the system to spend more years than are typically required forthe completion of a graduate program (i.e., 2 years for a Master’s program, and 3 years for a
Doctoral program.) Eligible applicants are those who have a job or other circumstances thatprevent them from securing the study time necessary to earn credits and receive researchguidance. These applicants need to submit application documents and a plan for completing thecourse of study in a specific period of time. The Graduate School of IMCTS processes eachapplication and determines the applicant’s eligibility.
2. Eligibility for application
Applicants are eligible for application when 1) they fall under any of the following categories,
and 2) they wish to take more years than are typically required to complete a graduate program
and to complete their research plan because they cannot concentrate on their studies due to thecircumstances stated below.
(1) The applicant is currently serving in public office or working for a company or otherorganization (excluding those who are excused from their duties at work and are receiving
their pay), is self-employed, or has another kind of full-time job.
(2) The applicant is working part-time, and the applicant’s workload significantly affects thehours available for completing the course of study.
(3) The applicant is caring for a child or a family member, and the applicant’s workload
significantly affects hours available for completing the course of study.
(4) The applicant is physically, visually, hearing, or otherwise impaired, and the impairment
significantly affects hours available for completing the course of study over a prolonged
period of time.
3. Application procedures
Applicants for the long-term course enrollment system shall include the following documents
among their application documents.
①
Application for long-term course enrollment (Form 1)②
Plan for long-term course enrollment (Form 2)③
Documents proving that long-term course enrollment is necessary (e.g. proof of
employment, copy of a maternal and child health handbook, etc.)
4. Notification of the screening result
Submitted documents will be examined, and applicants will be notified of the examination
results early in March.
5. Term of enrollment
The term of enrollment can be extended in one-year units. In the doctoral program, the total
period of enrollment is between 4 and 6 years.
The academic year runs from April through March.
6. Tuition
The annual tuition of a student admitted under the long-term course enrollment system iscalculated as follows: [Standard annual tuition] x 3 ÷ [the number of years the student intends totake to complete the course of study]
The annual tuition will be recalculated if the standard annual tuition is revised or if a change tothe student’s long-term enrollment plan is authorized. There will be no revision to tuitions
already paid.
7. Change to the number of years for completing a course of study
Under exceptional circumstances, students can make a one-time application for a shortening or
extension of the years for completing a course of study.

- 10 -

(1) Shortening of the period of enrollment
In the doctoral program, the period of enrollment can be shortened to the number of years
required for completion of a course of study (= 3 years) plus 1 year (i.e., 4 years.)
An application for the shortening of the period of enrollment should be made in the academic
year immediately before the final academic year in the shortened period of enrollment.
(2) Extension of the period of enrollment
Students can apply for an extension of the period of enrollment in any year other than their
final academic year.
In the doctoral program, a course of study should be completed in no more than 6 years.
(3) The annual tuition will be recalculated in the event that the period of enrollment is shortened
or extended. Any overpayment or underpayment will be adjusted according to the years forcompleting a course of study, but tuition already paid will not be refunded.
8. Other
You may apply to the Long-Term Course Enrollment at the time of admission, or at the end of
the first academic year or the second academic year. In that case, however, the total tuition will
be larger than applying at the time of admission. Note also that you may not apply at the end of
the last year.
Please make inquiries with the Academic Affairs Division, Administration Office of IMCTS
regarding a request for an application form or questions.

VII. Privacy Policy(1) Hokkaido University takes all possible measures to ensure the protection of personal
information in compliance with the Law for the Protection of Personal Information
Retained by Independent Administrative Institutions and EU General Data Protection
Regulation (henceforth, GDPR), on the basis of the Hokkaido University Regulations on
Personal Information Management.
(2) Names, addresses, and other personal information that are disclosed in the application
process and each entrance examination/interview will be used only for the following
purposes: i) the selection of doctoral students (application processes andexaminations/interviews); ii) the announcement of successful applicants; iii) admission
procedures; iv) research and surveys on applicant selection methods; and v) other businessassociated with i)~iv).
(3) For successful applicants, the personal information disclosed for the purpose of application
will be used after their enrollment for the following purposes: i) administration procedures(student registration, support on the basis of academic records, etc.); ii) student support(health management, applications for scholarships and/or dormitory admission, welfare
supports, etc.); iii) job hunting support, iv) the collection of tuition, v) library admission,vi) IT facility use admission, vii) emergency contact, viii) sending university information.
(4) The entrance examination records of applicants will be used to improve the selection
methods and future entrance examinations.
(5) Regarding the personal information referred to in (2) above, names and addresses alone
might be used for the purpose of correspondence by the Hokkaido University Frontier- 11 -

Foundation and by the following organizations related to Hokkaido University: i) the
Hokkaido University Athletic Union; and ii) the alumni association of the Graduate Schoolof International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies.
(6) Hokkaido University will keep your personal data for five years counting from thesubsequent fiscal year (from Aril to March) after the fiscal year your data was collected.
(7) Hokkaido University processes your personal data with your consent (GDPR, Article 6,
Paragraph 1 (a)).
(8) You can withdraw your consent at any time. Your withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of
your personal data that has already been processed with your consent prior to the withdrawal.
(9) You, as data subject (an individual whose personal data is collected, held and processed), havethe following rights as stated in GDPR, as well as other related laws and regulations: (1) toaccess your personal data; (2) to have your inaccurate personal data corrected; (3) to have yourpersonal data deleted where appropriate; (4) to restrict the processing of your personal data; (5)to object the processing of your personal data; and (6) to transfer your personal data to
third-party entities.
(10) If you have provided your personal data within the EEA (European Economic Area) and are
not happy with the way Hokkaido University handles your personal data, you have the right tofile a complaint to a supervisory authority defined in GDPR (Article 51, Paragraph 1).
(11) In order to carry out the procedures mentioned in (3) above, Hokkaido University may shareyour personal data with Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Sapporo (Sapporo Daisan
Godochosha, Chuo-ku Odori Nishi 12 Chome, Sapporo, 011-261-9658).
(12) Hokkaido University is governed by IAA (Incorporated Administrative Agency) Personal
Information Protection Act. The European Commission’s adequacy decision is not applicable to
Hokkaido University.

Inquiries:
Academic Affairs Office
Graduate School of International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies
Hokkaido University
Kita 17 jo Nishi 8 Chome
Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan
060-0817
E-mail: nyuushi@imc.hokudai.ac.jp- 12 -

VIII. List of Supervisors
Note 1: The list shows the faculty members of the Graduate School of IMCTS as of August
2024.
Note 2: Any changes to the list after August 2024 will be posted on the website of the
Graduate School of IMCTS.
Note 3: “Content of research guidance” indicates each supervisor’s major teaching content
in the context of “Special Research on International
Media-Communication/Tourism Creation” that students conduct toward thecompletion of their doctoral dissertations.
Note 4: Refer to the website of the Graduate School of IMCTS(https://www.imc.hokudai.ac.jp/imcts/teacher/) for the e-mail address and thedetails of research and teaching content of each faculty member.

Professor
Name
EDELHEIM,
Johan
OKAMOTO,
Ryosuke
OKU, Satoshi
KANEYAMA,Jun
KAMIYAMA,
Hiroyuki
KIM, Sungmin
COOK, Emma
Elizabeth
KLIEN, Susanne

KOBAYASHI,
Yoshiko

SAITO, Takuya

Content of research guidance
I supervise students on topics related to power and politics intourism and related to hospitality phenomena and attractions, aswell as supervising them on learning, teaching, and research intourism and hospitality higher education.
Towards enabling students to become independent researchers in
the field of the sociology of tourism and religion, I supervise
students so that they can advance and publish their research in aproper fashion.
I supervise students towards enabling them to become
independent researchers in the field of theoretical linguistics who
can advance and publish their research in proper fashion.
Students will acquire the skills needed to develop and publish
their research on multi-platform media from the perspective ofsocial theory.
I supervise students towards enabling them to become
independent researchers who can deal with tourism marketing,tourism strategy, tourism policy, tourism economy and public
sector publicity.
Towards enabling students to become creative researchers in thefield of media and cultural studies, I supervise students so thatthey can carry out interpretive critical research.
I supervise students in anthropological research on gender, thebody, and health in contemporary Japan.
I supervise students on lifestyle migration and issues pertaining towork and precarity. Students will acquire ethnographic skills andmethods related to grounded theory.
I supervise students towards enabling them to become
independent researchers who can advance and publish theirresearch in the field of language learning (Japanese as asecond/foreign language) from the point of view of cognitive
psychology.
Students will have a solid grounding in research on media andsociety research, and in political theory and the history of ideas,
and they will receive methodological research training for moreadvanced study.

- 13 -

SASADA,
Hironori
SHIROYAMA,
HidemiTANAKA, Eisuke
JUNG Hyeseon
TSUJIMOTO,
Atsushi
NAKAGAWA,
SatoruNAGASHIMA,
Miori
NISHIMURA,
RyuichiNISHIYAMA,
NoriakiStudents will acquire the ability to conduct research regarding thepolitical economy of Japan or East Asia from the perspectives ofcomparative politics and international political economy.
Provides research guidance for dissertations that empiricallyexamine contemporary and modern China, Japan, and SinoJapanese relations through a "dialogue between modernity andhistory" using historical documents, interview surveys, and media
materials.
I will supervise students who wish to explore issues surrounding
heritage and tourism using socio-anthropological theories oncultures and societies.
Students will learn how to design and implement research in thefield of sociolinguistics and contrastive linguistics.
Students will develop critical thinking on communication
phenomena related to organizations and will acquire practicalskills for social research.
I supervise students towards enabling them to become
independent researchers who can deal with marketing strategy,
business strategy, global strategy, management, and governance.
Students will acquire competency in interdisciplinary andsociological research skills relating to various modern
environmental and/or risk issues at both the national and theglobal levels.
I supervise students towards enabling them to acquire the ability
to consider contemporary phenomena of media culture from theperspective of media philosophy or media culture theories.
I supervise students so that they can train their ability to consider
regional challenges related to tourism development and regional
development from the perspective of planning and management
methodologies.

HAMAI, Yumiko

I supervise students towards enabling them to research therelationship between ethnic identity and the media from theperspective of media and cultural studies.

HARA, Yurie

I supervise students in the field of theoretical linguistics. Students will
acquire the analytical methods they need to construct data-driven
theories in conducting (cross-)linguistic research.

PAICHADZE,
Svetlana

I supervise students who are interested in the history and present
time of the migration of people in East Asia and Russia.

HYUN, Mooam
FIRKOLA, Peter
FUJINO, Yohei
Yamamura,
Takayoshi

I supervise students towards enabling them to study thephenomenon of media communication in East Asia from theperspective of political sociology.
Students will acquire practical knowledge in the field of humanresource management (HRM). Specific research areas include
recruitment and career development.
I supervise students towards enabling them to become
researchers in the field of media and society using anthropologicalmethods.
Students will acquire the theoretical frameworks and field survey
methods they need to analyze and discuss tourism phenomena
structurally from the perspective of “contents tourism”.

- 14 -

Associate Professor
Name
Content of research guidanceStudents will learn how to statistically analyze linguistic data andto write English journal papers in the field of psycholinguistics,
ASANO, Yuki
first/second language acquisition and music acquisition, phonetics
and phonology, and language testing theory.
ABE, Makoto
AMADA, Akinori
ISHIGURO,
YusukeStudents will learn second language pragmatics through reviewing
theories, methodologies, and previous studies.
Students will learn how to apply anthropological theories andmethods to their own research topics on tourism.
I will supervise students towards enabling them to consider thevarious aspects of destination management and its organizational
solutions, especially from the perspectives of management andpolicy.

ITO, Takayuki

Students will acquire the methods they need to research modern
Japanese language in the fields of Japanese language history andJapanese language teaching history from materials publishedsince the Meiji era.

UEDA, Hirofumi

I supervise students in the field of sustainable regional planningfrom the viewpoint of landscapes.

OTOMO, Ruriko

I supervise students in sociolinguistics research particularly in thefield of language policy. Students will understand basic
assumptions of sociolinguistics and conceptual frameworks toapproach the link between language and social issues.

I supervise students who are interested in the dynamic
interactions between heritage and community within tourism
development.
OKADA, Mayumi Integrating the study of theoretical frameworks and field
experiences, students will analyze and discuss the diversity ofvalues concerning heritage and the impact of tourism on
communities.
I supervise students interested in regional arts festival research,creative tourism, rural revitalization, and island studies. They will
gain knowledge about establishing interdisciplinary methodologies
Qu, Meng
frameworks, blended methods, and facilitating community
engagement through action research.
I supervise students in the field of destination management and
KOIZUMI,
human resource development from the perspective of sustainable
Daisukeregional planning.
I supervise students in the field of Asian economic history (mostly
SHILTZ, Michael financial history), exploring both quantitative and qualitative
methods.
I will supervise a study that quantitatively examines how to
JANG, Juhyeok
effectively respond to customers via online.
I supervise students in the field of Heritage Studies, including on
TASHIRO, Akiko tourism, heritages and international cooperation on monument
conservation.
TANABE, Tetsu
I supervise students in the field of multimedia technology.
Students will learn about Conversation Analysis, a research
DU, Chang Jiun
approach to qualitative analysis of the order of interaction and will

- 15 -TOMINARI,
Ayako
NOZAWA,
Shunsuke
HARADA, Mami
HIRATA, Miki
MASUDA,
NorikoYAMADA,
EtsukoLecturer
Name
IWAMI,Tadashi

ONG, YI XUANKONDO,Hiromu

SHIGAKI,
Koichiro

TERAO, Ehito
BULL, Jonathan
EdwardMIYAUCHI,
TakuyaYOSHIZAWA,
Nao

receive guidance and support in analyzing conversational datafrom everyday conversations, classroom interactions, andmulticultural discussions.
Students will acquire the ability to analyse and discuss media
discourse in relation to gender and to write papers in a proper
fashion.
I supervise students interested in linguistic anthropology andsocial semiotics working on topics such as language ideology andmedia culture, with emphasis on ethnography of communication.
I supervise students towards enabling them to conduct researchon gender representation in the media through their analysis of
media content in combination with social context.
Students will acquire the ability to analyze verbal and non-verbal
behaviors in spontaneous interactions between participants, using
video and voice data.
I supervise students in the fields of art history and visual culture
studies (film, TV, manga, anime, etc.).
I supervise students on research into intercultural communication
between people from different cultural backgrounds, aiming at
proper academic standards.
Content of research guidanceStudents will acquire the ability to conduct research regarding
Japanese security policy in the Indo-Pacific region from thetheoretical perspectives of international politics and relations.
I supervise students who are interested in mechanisms of
persuasion in the digital/social media space. I welcome researchon understanding how consumers process information, change
attitudinal and behavioral dispositions from social media andinfluencer marketing.
Students will acquire the skills to research the values of those
involved in Japanese language education abroad and in Japan andthe process of constructing values through a narrative approach(mainly the life story research method).
I will guide doctoral candidates in the analysis and study ofcontemporary journalism and media through archival and historicalmaterials. Furthermore, within the realms of media theory andhistory, I mentor students to critically evaluate existing research,select methodologies that suit their specific themes, andstrengthen their ability to pursue independent research.
I supervise students in researching the media characteristics ofcontemporary theater in terms of performativity, physicality,
historicity, gender, and minorities.
I supervise students who are interested in the history of thecollapse of the Japanese empire and the subsequent mass
movements of people in East Asia.
I supervise students studying individual languages based ontheoretical linguistics and contrastive studies from a typologicalperspective, which theoretical linguistics makes possible.
I supervise students in analyzing various phenomena related totourism and local communities, applying the theoretical andmethodological background of tourism geography.
- 16 -

IX. Supervisors to be Appointed
The following is the list of professors (and their fields of study) who can supervise doctoral
course students exclusively in English. The information is as of May 2024.
(The asterisk* indicates that the professor may act as a secondary supervisor for
English-only students.)<Public Communication Study>
Nagashima, Miori: sociological risk research<International Public Relations Study>
Firkola, Peter*: human resource management (HRM, recruitment, career development)
Jang, Juhyeok*: managerial accounting, quality costing, service quality management
Kamiyama, Hiroyuki*: tourism strategy, tourism economy, tourism marketing, tourism
statistics, public sector publicit
Tsujimoto, Atsushi: organization theory, risk management, SNS communication theory
Nakagawa, Satoru*: marketing strategy, business strategy, global strategy,
management, and governance<Media and Culture Study>
Hamai, Yumiko: British studies (British contemporary history), race and ethnic studies
Harada, Mami: gender studies, area studies, women's history of New Zealand
Tominari, Ayako: discourse analysis (critical discourse analysis), gender and language<Linguistic Communication>Hara, Yurie: theoretical linguistics, formal semantics, pragmatics, Japanese linguistics,
psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics
Oku, Satoshi: theoretical linguistics (generative grammar), comparative syntax (Japanese,
English, Chinese, etc.) (phrase structure building, labeling, ellipsis, verbal
compounds)
Otomo, Ruriko: (critical) sociolinguistic, applied linguistics (language policy and planning,
language ideology, bi/mulitilingualism)
Abe, Makoto*: second language pragmatics (reviewing theories, methodologies, andliterature review).
Nozawa, Shunsuke: linguistic anthropology, semiotics, media theory, popular culture,
memory<International Regional Culture Study>
Edelheim, Johan: critical tourism research, cultural studies, tourism philosophy, qualitative
methodologies (narrative- , discourse-, content- analysis; existential-, linguisticphenomenology), tourism higher education, Indigenous matters, Identity
Kim, Sungmin: cultural theory and popular culture, cultural studies, media andcommunication, sociology of tourism, urbanism or music, cultural flows in East
Asia
Okamoto, Ryosuke*: sociology of tourism and religious culture- 17 -

Paichadze, Svetlana: multiculturalism, migration studies, border studies
Tanaka, Eisuke: critical heritage studies, anthropology of tourism
Tashiro, Akiko: heritage studies, heritage tourism, and public archaeology<Tourism Creation and Regional Tourism Management>
Ishiguro, Yusuke: destination management, DMO, tourism policy, tourism for development
Nishiyama, Noriaki: tourism design, cultural heritage management
Qu, Meng: art festival tourism creation and community revitalization, creative tourism inJapan and Europe
Yamamura, Takayoshi: tourism development studies (contents tourism, community basetourism, heritage tourism)<Modern Japanese Studies>
Bull, Jonathan: end of the Japanese Empire, decolonization, post-colonial memory, forced
migration narratives, oral history
Cook, Emma: medical anthropology (health and illness), anthropology of food, gender andsexuality
Iwami, Tadashi: international politics, international relations, security studies, Japanese
security policy, Indo-Pacific region
Klien, Susanne: anthropology, Japanese studies, lifestyle migration, mobility studies, rural
revitalization, rural Japan, depopulation, ethnography, disaster anthropology, ritualstudies
Sasada, Hironori: political science, party politics, electoral study, trade policy
Schiltz, Michael: economic and financial history of Asia, Japan- 18 -